CBR: "Conan" Writers for "Strange" Film

[CBR News]

"Conan" writers Thomas Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer have been hired to adapt "Doctor Strange" into a feature film. "Strange" could be one of the first films released by Marvel's new parent company, Disney.


Full article here.

[bluebeetle73]

I remember a crappy Dr. Strange movie from when I was a kid, I think it was made for TV. I've always liked the character and hope that they do the character justice in a feature film.

[UrinalPooper]

I just REALLY hope they don't do the bloody origin story... it's been done to death.

[Sighphi]

So this report is about how some dudes that wrote a movie that hasn't even been made and no one has seen are writing another?

[Bevbos]

I just REALLY hope they don't do the bloody origin story... it's been done to death.

It's a great origin story... the real question is, will they feel the need to make it "hip" like JMS' barf-tastic revamp... let us hope they do Dr. Strange in all his psychadelic glory.

[Phil Clark]

I just REALLY hope they don't do the bloody origin story... it's been done to death.

Doctor Stranges origin, or origins in general? Because they have only done one Doctor Strange film, and it was that not so great 80s TV movie.

Origins are a fact of life when it comes to superheroes. People want and need to know how someone became a superhero.

[MadCatTV2]

Please Disney.....Please!!!!

Don't screw this up...please prove me wrong that the Marvel/Disney merger wasn't a bad thing!

[Janissa]

it's almost like being severely retarded is a contractual requirement for Studio Executives.

These so-called "screen writers" they hired are totally the wrong kind to write a Doctor Strange movie. Guillermo Del Toro would have been so much better.

[Elayis]

Could be good, could be bad; bottom line it's too early to tell right now.

Sure a script may have been commissioned, but who knows when Disney/Marvel will actually produce it?

I would certainly like a Doctor Strange movie, so I'm at least hopeful.

[Hoss]

I'll be interested to see how the Dylan Dog movie they wrote comes out. It will be a big clue as to their ability to handle Dr. Strange.

[Donald]

....where he learned to tap into psychic powers to battle evil wizards and other wrongdoers.

Hopefully that's just imprecise wording and they don't intend to make him Prof X.

Dr. Strange has the best origin and motivation of any comic book character, it needs to be shown. I can see them making him a plastic surgeon to modernize him, but keep the rest the same. Having his origin take place in the 30's or 60's would be cool too, shows he's been around for a long time. The JMS take should be avoided and ignored.

[Stressfactor]

Doctor Stranges origin, or origins in general? Because they have only done one Doctor Strange film, and it was that not so great 80s TV movie.

Origins are a fact of life when it comes to superheroes. People want and need to know how someone became a superhero.

Well, technically, they also told the origin in that Direct-to-DVD animated mvoie they did a few years back. That one seemed to combine a few JMS elements with a lot of totally new stuff and very little of the original.

Overall, it was alright but to quote from Doctor Who: "You've redecorated in here. I don't like it."

Oh, and I almost forgot -- Strange appeared in that Spider-Man cartoon from the 1990's and I think they told the origin briefly there.

But, all things considered, a crappy TV movie from the late 70's or early 80's which aired ONCE and has never been seen again (except by fans who are willing to torture themselves by acquiring bootleg copies or watching it on YouTube) and an animated DVD from a couple of years ago (which was, again, probably only bought by curious fans and a few kids who thought it looked cool) means that the vast, non-comic book reading movie going public DON'T actually know Strange's backstory.

I will agree that Strange's backstory has been done-to-death in the COMICS but I don't think it really has in mass media.

[Sighphi]

I'm sorry but Strange's story being told a handful of time compared to Spider-man who has been on TV since the 60's NON-stop cannot be said at all to be something that is tiring in any sort of way.

[redvector]

With a Sorceror's Apprentice movie coming out in a month's time I would wait to see if that was going to be a success before greenlighting a Dr. Strange movie. But that's just me.

But if SA does prove to be a hit that would make a Dr Strange movie redundant wouldn't it?

[Stressfactor]

With a Sorceror's Apprentice movie coming out in a month's time I would wait to see if that was going to be a success before greenlighting a Dr. Strange movie. But that's just me.

But if SA does prove to be a hit that would make a Dr Strange movie redundant wouldn't it?

Not necessarily. "The Sorceror's Apprentice" is geared a bit more toward the Tweens and early teens since it really has a teenager as the protagonist. I mean, yeah, Nicholas Cage is in there as the Sorceror but we all know the movie is REALLY about the kid he's training.

Doctor Strange will (hopefully) feature an older cast. Also, considering the success of Iron Man and the new Batman franchise they'll likely want to skew for an older, adult audience -- which means the movie might go out through Disney's Touchstone studio.

There will probably be some themes in common but overall I could see smart filmmakers getting the whole bit with the Ancient One out of the way quickly and introducing Clea as a love interest.

Also, if they go with iconic villains, well, Dormammu is far from human in appearance whereas SA is going with a human-looking villain.